Like most other websites that share resources about common medications and the conditions they treat, we tend to concentrate primarily on health – healthcare, disorders, diseases, treatment or cures, medication developments, and many other aspects of healthcare. But there are differences between health and wellness.
Dictionary definitions of “Health” and “Wellness” tend to muddy the waters because, in most cases, the two words are treated as synonyms with the same underlying meaning. But, it is possible to enhance one’s sense of wellness while also improving one’s health.
The main differences between health and wellness.
Essentially, a “healthy person” does not suffer from disorders, diseases, infirmities, weakness, feebleness, fragility, incapacity, impairment, or illness. Fundamentally, health is somewhat passive. Sometimes, despite the best efforts of people, their family, and their healthcare providers, a person may fall sick or face health challenges. These challenges can arise from genetic factors, unexpected accidents, or environmental causes outside their control. Wellness, however, is proactive and assertive. It encompasses a person’s daily lifestyle choices and their state of mind. It also reflects on the foods they eat, their exercise, the steps they take (or don’t take) to relieve stress, and the social environment they build around themselves. It’s about how a person can recognize their current state and take positive steps to improve and optimize it, aiming for a balanced life. While health can be considered a binary state (sick vs. healthy), wellness is a spectrum that extends beyond just physical well-being. Wellness includes the emotional, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, financial, social, and occupational aspects of our lives.Examples of the differences between health and wellness.
Picture “Healthy José.” He hasn’t needed to visit a doctor for years, feels no physical discomfort, and needs no medication to sleep well, eat whatever he wants, enjoy sex and play active sports. José, by all definitions, is considered “healthy.” However, suppose José has times of high stress in his daily life, either from conflicts at work or disagreements at home, is not eating healthy food, overindulges in alcohol or recreational drugs, and doesn’t have time to socialize because of the demand on his time. It’s a challenge to call him “well.” On the other hand, picture “Wellness Wanda,” who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes but has been under careful care and monitoring for many years. Wanda exercises moderately and regularly, carefully follows the recommended balanced diet, is benefitting from progress in medicines that treat her disorder, practices meditation or attends religious services often, and has a robust social support system; you must say that while Wanda is not strictly “healthy,” she does seems to be quite “well.” Health is undeniably a precious gift, a foundation on which we build our lives. However, wellness is the art of living we build with that foundation. It’s the conscious, self-directed, and evolving process of achieving our fullest potential.Ten steps to make you feel well (even if you don’t consider yourself healthy).
- Make Quiet Time Each Day
- Take Care of Yourself
- Get Enough Sleep
- Select Healthcare Providers You Have Faith In
- Get Enough Exercise
- Prioritize movement
- Get Socially Active
- Eat a Balanced Diet
- Look Forward with Optimism
- Embrace Gratitude
Dictionary definitions of health and wellness
| Dictionary | Health | Wellness |
| Merriam-Webster | the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit, especially freedom from physical disease or pain | the quality or state of being in good health, especially as an actively sought goal |
| Oxford English | the soundness of the body; that condition in which its functions are duly and efficiently discharged. | The state or condition of being well or in good health, in contrast to being ill; |
| Wiktionary | the state of being free from physical or psychological disease, illness, or malfunction; wellness | The quality or state of being in good health. |
